Breathing Dust

A wicked wind blew 
up out of the west, driving
dust into the air

~ carliewired

It was a sombre beginning to my day as I wanted to place flowers on my husband's grave. I missed this last year as I was in quarantine at the time. He gets three daffodils - one from each of us. 

My walk was a portion of the Rivers Trail beside the airport. It is not paved so one is walking on gravel. It is somewhat of an exposed area as it doesn't have the vegetation seen in other parts of the Rivers Trail. 

I began quite comfortably. The sun felt warm and I was considering taking off my jacket. From the trail I could look down to the Thompson River where the usual birds were present. Canada geese were in pairs. The seagulls were in convention. One juvenile eagle was on time out. 

I was very disappointed in dog owners today. The city supplies plastic bags for doggy clean up, but I kept finding them along the trail, filled but not disposed. One was tucked under a bench. I even found one in a shrub. I haven't seen this anywhere else in the city. Why here? Who do the owners think will clean this up?

I was well into my walk when a gusting wind came in from the west blowing sand and dust everywhere. It clouded the sky. I could feel the grit in my teeth. I walked as far as the willows, turned around so the wind was at my back and headed back to my vehicle. 

I walked past the airport control tower. I see that people are using a parking lot there as their starting point. They arrive in vehicles with their bikes and/or dogs to head off on the Rivers Trail. I got the long view of my favourite mountains from this trail. They seemed a little dusty!

Someone seems to have lost a pair of boots. They were decorating a gate today. 

I left my quilted heart on a cottonwood tree near Vantage Point. I can only hope that wicked wind doesn't blow it away.